Unit equipment for successively treating and refining of food and analogous materials



July 29, 1952 J, MARCQ 2,605,086

UNIT EQUIPMENT FOR SUCCESSIVELY TREATING AND REFINING OF' FOOD AND ANALOGOUS MATERIALS Filed Sept. 15, 1946 2 SI-lEETS-Sl-IEET 1 INVENToR. Jaf//v VA/Q00,

,4 fron/ v5 ya July 29, 1952 J, MARCO 2,605,086

, UNIT EQUIPMENT FOR SUCCESSIVELY TREATING AND 4 REFINING OF FOOD AND ANALOGOUS MATERIALS Filed Sept. 15, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 :2L :Tz- E Patented July 29, 1952 UNIT EQUIPMENT FOR( SUCCES'SIVELY TREATING AND REFINING F FOOD AND AN ALOGOUS MATERIALS John Marco, Wilmington, Del., assignor toMarco lGompany, Inc., Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 13, 1946*, S'erialNo. 696,653?

2 Claims. (Cl, 259-1049 This., inventionY relates to new and useful improvementsand: the, processing of foods, chemicals; medioinesand/or pharmaceutical preparations; the primary-objectbeing to provide a compactninit combination which may be used in the humaindrug.l stores, at soda fountainsor in the laboratory;

It. is; an object of my'invention to provide a juicer and. homogenizer in a single connected unit; to save time in making superiorv p-roducts comprising; ioods,.chemica1s or othermaterials so completely homogenized and mixed as to. maintaimtheir intimate.colloidalcondition untileaten, or. during. furthery processing such as` baking, cookingetc;

It; is an.object;of my invention. to provide in a food, chemical. or: other treatment machine or apparatus, comprisingv a homogenizer. capable of breakingyup` globulesof oil. and fat so finely that a substantially permanent colloidal mixture for alllpracticalpurposes is produced.

It is. an object. of my. invention to provide a hnuseliold1utility. or unit machine: inv which. a chef or a kitchen matronv can produce superiorv bake'dtf'oods; resulting from. a superior texturizationby; the: superior homogenizationl of. materials ing; the characteristics of a vacuum in its feed i inlet, many. canned andpre-cooked products can be readily. processed by: my. apparatus. I have found'i that a` better assimilation isafforded through. my homogenization inmanyv foodv products. In milk, the finer. subdivisions of the fat globules is accomplished andthe curdformation is madesoft and flocculent, and, as'a result, it has been found that a better digestivea'ssimilation is provided for the consumer, andfal savingv offood materials isaccomplished by thei users. of my uniqueinvention.

It is a further object of my invention to' provide an apparatus with readily detachable units and parts" for the purpose of inspection, cleansing, sterilizing, and replacement of parts, if found to be necessary.

Other objects and advantages of my apparatus willbe revealed in the detailed descriptionzoff my drawings which forma part of' my specification.

In .the drawings:4

element I2.

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofl my new unit'apparatus showing lparts thereof inlongitudinal vertical section.

FigureZv is a verticaltransverse sectional View of the'premixer endv of my apparatus, taken substantially on the line 2-2 ofv Fig. 1 looking in thew direction of the arrows'.

Figure 3 is a. horizontal transverse sectional View'y onY a reducedscale,` of ther gear mechanism for.' thepremiXer taken substantially on the line 3s-3fof Figure 2 looking in the direction of" the arrows.

The drawings are merely illustrative of; my unitary premixerva-nd homogenizer and are not denitive of my. invention except asfr claimed herein.

Thev referenceicharacters. identfythe parts and portions of my invention in bothth'e specification anddravvings.

Inthe. drawings,v the,v body I-V embraces: anelectric motor casing 2, preferably in a centralzone thereof', The body I is provided,- with laterally extending legs 3; 4,. 5; etc., havingl depending, feet 1,8', 9, etc.

Th-e motor, in-itsipreferred form, ismounted in ahorizontal position. The shaft of themotor eX- tends beyond' the ends of the motor body and its casing. 2fA and'.l is supported by them. The motor shaft end I0 is preferably keyed to a homogenizer Therbody I casing 2: andy shaft I0 constitute the lsolesupport for thehomogenizer. The oppositefend- II-, of the motor shaft is provided with aworm Iain-mesh with-worm wheels or gears |4-and I5: The worm wheel I4is in mesh with a gear I6. The Worin I-3-onthe motor shaft operatesa combined'juicer Il anda-premixer or beater. I-f. A- pan: orv bowl (notshown) can be placed eccentrically beneath the premixer` I8. The pan can be elevated to a position substantiallyincontaot with the premixer to produce a-maXim-um of agitation of the materialin the pan; Whenfthe pan is raised to a proper posi'- tion it can be supported in that position by a suitable-supporting block (not shown).

The combined, juicer a-nd beater combination are` likewise supported solely bythe body' If, cas.- ing-.Zandyshaft I I.

When it isi desired to-remove the4v pan, containing; theV pfremix, forV the transfer thereof to` the ,homogenizen thenthepremixer end ofthe apparatus is-raised-sufficiently to release the pan from the'beater IBI The-juicer'bowl: I9 is of specialconstruction in that.v itis provided with an upstanding hub extensionrZ--to prevent the escape of: the fruit juice through the tubular hub 2 I. The bo.w1.-I9L isalso provided with an outlet spout 22 preferably lntegral therewith to conduct the juices to the agitator pan or to some other suitable receptacle.

The gear mechanism I3, I4, I5, and I6 is located in a gear casing 22 having a removable bottom 23 secured thereto bybolts 24.. The upper wall of the casing 22 is provided with an upright tubular extension 25 which is telescopically and axially received by the hub 2l of the bowl I9. Y

'Ihe juicer element 26 is substantially conical,

that is, it has the contour of half of a lemon Y when the lemon is halved transversely of its longitudinal axis. The element is provided with external ribs extending upward and downwardly thereon. The juicer element 26 is provided with a depending shaft 21 connected axially and substantially midway between the top and bottom of the element. The element 26 is further provided with an annularrecess 28 defining a skirt to receive a portion of the hub extension 2] as clearly shown in Figure 2. Y

The casing 22 is secured to the motor casing 2 by a suitable means. The casing 22 and its closure 23 is provided with pairs of aligned upright bearings to rotatively receive respectively the shafts 21, 29, and 33, of the premiXer and juicer combination. One tubular bearing is located in a recess 3l located in the closure 23 and the bottom portion of the recess 3I constitutes a thrust bearing for the lower end of the shaft 21.

- The gears I4, I5, I may be keyed or splined on the shafts 29, 21, and 33 respectively.

The premixer and juicer combination is provided with separable parts. The closure 23 is detachable when the bolts 24 are removed. The removal of the closure 23 carries with itself the gears I4 and I6 including their shafts 29 and 3l) respectively.

In order to provide against endwise movement of the shafts 29 and 30 and their gears, suitable collars (not shown) may be provided both above and below both of the gears I4 and I6.

'Ihe shafts 29 and 3) are provided with stuffing gland caps 32 and 33 which are preferably secured to the closure 23 by suitable means (not shown).

In connection with Figure 9, it is to be noted that the casing 22 is provided with a bearing support 22 having a bearing supported by the motor shaft end I I. The bearing support 22 is provided with a removable cap 22C secured thereon by any suitable means.V

It is the usual practice to transfer the premix material from the combined juicer and premixer to the homogenizer for further refining treatment. The premix material may be designated as a liquid, although it contains many solid particles of food material, since it can be poured and it defines its own top surface level by gravitation and surface tension.

The homogenizer shown comprises a casing 4B, having readily detachable connection with an extension 4I of the motor casing 2. The detachable connection is preferably provided with screw threaded portions as clearly shown in Figure 3. The casing 40 is provided with a flanged end 42 upon which a detachable Vend closure 43 is bolted. The end closure is provided with a tubular elbow 44 preferably integral therewith. One leg of the elbow is coaxial with the closure and is provided with an annular socket 45 to receive an annular flange 46 of an inner homogenizing element 41. The other leg of the elbow 44 extends upwardly .from hopper 5t through the elbow 44.

`equal in area to the total area of all the slots.

The element 4l is provided with a closed end 52 which isd-irectly opposite the annular flange 46 of said element. The element is supported and Fixed against rotation in the annular socket 45.

The outer homogenizer element I2 is provided with a base 53 which is preferably, removably keyed to motor shaft end IU. The base 53, being fixed on the shaft end IB, is propelled to rotate the same number of revolutions per minute as the shaft end I5. The base 53 is provided with laterally extending blades 54 which are spaced from the axis of the base 53, a distance slightly greater than one-half the diameter of the inner homogenzer 4'! and its bars 5I. The bars 5I and blades 54 are in such close proximity as to produce a shearing action on the premixed material passing through the slots of the homogenizer 41. rEhe sheared or further refined material is thrown outwardly between the blades 54 by centrifugal force and is carried by the blades to the outlet spout 55 which conveys or guides the refined homogenized material to the receptacle 56. The centrifugal force created by the whirling blades Iends to create a low pressure area within the inner element 41 and thereby facilitates and accelerates the movement of the material being treated through the inner element 41. The outer horizontal portions of the blades 54 move in such close proximity to the casing 4I) that the inner surface of said casing is maintained substantially free from the permanent setting of material thereon. In this connection, it is also to be noted that the centrifugal action of the blades 54 throws the material being treated against the cylindrical wall of the casing 45 and the whirling blades 54 continue to crush and disintegrate the material along said wall as it is propelled and advanced in its nal refining treatment, to the exit 55. This action or treatment, together with thecooperation of the inner and outer homogenizer elements, shear and crush the material into such a state ofA nneness as to have the quality of a liquid having a colloidal dispersion therein.

The body I is provided with a dial 51 cooperating with a control switch handle 58 having a pointer 59 thereon. The control switch (not shown) provides for speed regulation of the motor whereby a suitable speed may be selected to best suit the material being treated.

While the machine shown and described is particularly adapted for home use, it will be understood that the same is equally well adapted for use in the processing of medicines and pharmaceuticals in drug stores, in the processing of materials at soda fountains and also adapted for use in laboratories for processing chemicals and/or other materials.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my improved homogenizer, the method of assemblying and applying same to use may be readily understood, and it will be seen that I have provided a comparatively simple, inexpensive and efficient means for carrying out the various objects of the invention. While I have described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is apparent that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having fully disclosed my novel invention, what I claim is:

1. In a unit equipment for treating and relining of foods and analogous materials, said equip' ment comprising a motor, a motor body and a removable end casing for said body, a motor shaft, a juicer element and juicer bowl, a beater, and a housing, said motor shaft extending from said motor through said end casing and into said housing, said housing having top, bottom and side walls, said bowl having an outlet spout depending therefrom and a combined upright bearing and concentric upstanding collar on said bowl and housing, said juicer element having a shaft extending in depending relation centrally therefrom and extending through said combined collar and bearing and into and through one wall of said housing, said collar being integral with the top Wall of said housing, said bottom wall of said housing constituting a removable closure bolted to the side walls of said housing, said juicer element having an annular recess defining a depending concentric skirt extending over and surrounding the upper portion of said collar in concentrically-spaced relation, said housing having three pairs of upright bearings, said beater having upright shafts extending upwardly through two pairs of said bearings, respectively, one bearing of the remaining pair comprises a socket bearing receiving the lower end portion of said juicer element shaft, gears within the housing fixed respectively on all of said shafts, said gears constituting a gear train whereby said motor and motor shaft actuates said juicer element and beater simultaneously.

2. In a unit equipment for treating and rening of foods and analogous materials, said equipment comprising a motor, a motor body and a removable end casing for said body, a motor shaft,

a juicer element, a juicer bowl, a beater and a housing, said housing having top, bottom and side Walls, said housing extending horizontally from said end casing, said motor shaft extending horizontally through said end casing and into said housing, one side wall of said housing remote from said end casing having a horizontal bearing receiving one end of said motor shaft, said top wall of said housing having an integral sleeve extending integrally and upwardly therefrom and constituting an upright bearing, said bowl having a depending hub and an upright collar within the bowl and extending above said sleeve, said hub and collar being integral with each other and with said bowl, said hub and collar tightly engaging said sleeve, said hub and bowl engaging the top wall of said housing, said bottom wall of said housing constitutes a removable closure, detachably secured to the side walls by bolts, said top and bottom Walls collectively having three pairs of upright bearings, said juicer element having a depending shaft extending through said sleeve, one bearing and terminating in a socket-bearing in said closure wall, said beater having upright shafts, extending, respectively, into the other pairs of bearings, gears secured on all of said shafts, respectively, constituting a gear train whereby said motor and motor shaft actuate said juicer element and beater. Y

JOHN MARCO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Ville of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

